Lawmakers in Mississippi are considering legalizing online sports betting while banning sweepstakes casinos. In New Jersey, lawmakers are moving toward regulating sweepstakes casinos like real-money online casinos. I’ll examine that and other exciting news items relevant to players, bettors, and industry professionals.
TLDR: a Bite-sized Overview:
- Mississippi Moves Closer to Legal Online Sports Betting. HB 1302 advances, allowing casinos to offer online sportsbooks and racebooks. The bill aims to curb illicit gambling.
- Mississippi Proposes Ban on Sweepstakes Casinos. SB 2510 seeks to outlaw sweepstakes casinos with harsh penalties, redefining them as “simulated gambling programs.”
- New Jersey Introduces Sweepstakes Casino Regulations. Bill A5196 mandates licenses for sweepstakes casinos, bringing oversight similar to traditional online gambling.
- Trump Visits Vegas Gambling Event, Signals Deregulation Push. Trump’s surprise visit fuels optimism about tax cuts on sports betting and the deregulation of slots-related administration.
- DraftKings Launches a Subscription to Boost Parlay Bets. The new $20 monthly plan enhances parlay odds and encourages multi-leg wagers for higher profitability.
- ESPN Bet Partners with the PGA Tour for a Live Betting Stream. “ESPN Bet on PGA TOUR LIVE debuts on February 6, 2025, integrating real-time betting insights into golf coverage.
- BetMGM Secures the IP rights to “The Price Is Right” and “Family Feud.” This exclusive deal allows BetMGM to develop branded casino games and sponsor the shows.
Legal Online Sports Betting is Advancing in Mississippi
Legal online sports betting is inching closer in Mississippi after the House Gaming Committee passed bill HB 1302. The bill is now headed to the House floor for consideration.
The proposal would authorize statewide online sports betting. Only current casino licensees would be eligible to offer services and have the right to offer an online sportsbook and an online racebook.
Proponents of HB 1302 argue that consumers would be better protected from the harms of illicit gambling. Currently, black market platforms are readily available online, without any oversight from centralized governments in the US, offering little to no consumer protection and funneling millions of dollars in lost tax revenue.
Lawmakers in Mississippi Proposes Statewide Ban Sweepstakes Casinos
Alongside the proposal to legalize online sports betting, Mississippi lawmakers have introduced another legislative proposal to impose a statewide ban on sweepstakes casinos.
Provisions of SB 2510 include enhanced penalties for violations. Persons or entities operating sweepstakes platforms in Mississippi could face felony charges with potential fines of up to $100,000 and prison sentences of up to ten years. The Mississippi Gaming Commission could also seize any property, funds, or rights linked to illegal operations.
The primary amendment to current legislation classifying online gambling is the introduction of the term “simulated gambling program.” This would cover platforms like sweepstakes casinos connecting participants to cash-equivalent rewards, such as gift cards or cash prizes.
New Regulatory Framework for Sweepstakes Casinos Introduced in New Jersey
Similarly to Mississippi, New Jersey lawmakers introduced Bill A5196 in January, requiring sweepstakes casinos to obtain a casino service industry enterprise license. The bill differs from regular online casino gambling to cover the sweepstakes model, where:
- The platform does not require an initial monetary purchase to participate.
- Allow players to wager virtual credits that can be redeemed for gifts or cash prizes.
Under such a regulatory framework, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement would be responsible for the regulatory oversight of sweepstakes casinos in the Garden State. Similarly to real money online casinos, operators must partner with New Jersey’s existing land-based casinos.
President Trump Makes Surprise Visit To Gambling Industry Event in Las Vegas
Last month, the Circa Resort and Casino in downtown Las Vegas hosted an event focused on tax issues facing the gambling industry, primarily a push to raise tax on slots and the federal excise tax on sports betting.
President Donald Trump visited the event, something that has industry stakeholders bullish on the future. The President is a starch proponent of gambling, showing unprecedented support during his first term, particularly for granting economic relief to gambling establishments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The discussions were dedicated to:
- Eliminate the sports betting exercise tax, where currently, 0.25% on the amount of any legal sports wager with an additional $50 annual head tax for every employee engaged in receiving wagers.
- Raise the tax threshold for slots. Currently, a W-2 G tax form is needed for winnings over $1,200. Stakeholders wish to raise this to $5,000 to reflect the inflationary effects of past decades.
Considering President Trump’s promises of deregulation, these efforts are in line with easing the regulatory burden. It also signals that the current administration can make it easier for gambling operators to operate in America.
DraftKings Introduce New Subscription Services Aiming To Drive More Parlay Wagers
At the beginning of the year, DraftKings launched a new $20 subscription service for their sportsbook in New York. Subscribers to “DraftKings Sportsbook+” receive enhanced parlay odds throughout the month:
- Odds boosts apply to parlays with individual legs of -500 or narrower.
- Profit boost starts at 10% for two-leg parlays.
- Boost increases up to 100% for 11+ leg parlays, doubling potential payouts.
Subscribers are effectively getting access to unlimited boosts, which is rare in US sports betting.
The initiative will drive multi-leg parlay activity, a higher-margin wager that is more profitable than other types of wagers.
New Golf Partnership Sees the Launch of ESPN Bet on PGA Tour Live
The PGA Tour, PENN Entertainment (ESPN BET Sportsbook), and ESPN are teaming up to launch “ESPN Bet on PGA TOUR LIVE,” a live betting-focused stream on ESPN+.
This exclusive stream will debut at the WM Phoenix Open on February 6, 2025, covering six marquee FedExCup events throughout the PGA Tour season. Enabled by a multi-year agreement, the partnership designates ESPN Bet as the PGA Tour's official betting operator.
The initiative will provide fans and sports bettors with:
- Enhanced Viewing Experience: access to real-time betting data, insights, and analysis, making PGA Tour coverage more interactive and engaging.
- Live Betting Opportunities: place informed bets with hole-by-hole odds updates and tournament market shifts.
- Exclusive Content & Expert Analysis: betting-focused coverage providing deeper insights into players’ performances and betting strategies.
- More Ways to Engage with Golf: a new way for fans to follow their favorite events beyond traditional broadcasts.
BetMGM Secures IP Rights to Game Shows “The Price Is Right” and “Family Feud”
BetMGM has entered a multi-year exclusive partnership with global content distributor Fremantle, securing intellectual property rights for American game shows “The Price Is Right” and “Family Feud.”
This deal allows BetMGM to develop customized online casino content based on these iconic brands, including slots, table games, and other non-traditional casino games. By leveraging the popularity of these shows, BetMGM aims to offer similar games as “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Megaways and live dealer game.
As part of the collaboration, BetMGM will be featured as a sponsor during select weeks of the upcoming seasons of Family Feud and The Price Is Right.